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< all recipes Bagna Cauda This past Christmas Chris and I gave my sister and her hubs a wine tasting class at Eataly. We strategically gave them 4 tickets, insisting they take whomever they wanted…luckily they chose us! This class ended up being quite a momentous occasion for me for two reasons. First, I had thought I was allergic to wine (after a few bad experiences in college) but decided it was about time to give it another try and I loved it! Perhaps I was never allergic or maybe it was just wine from a box that didn’t sit so well. Second, I thought I did not like anchovies but after devouring the salad paired with the first wine (actually a champagne-style wine called Contessa Rosa Alta Langa… which i highly recommend) I looked at the recipe in our handouts and sure enough the dressing had anchovy! I will admit I still find them kind of gross when whole but the beauty of Bagna Cauda is that the anchovy cooks down to nothing, leaving its intense depth of flavor (aka umami). Bagna Cauda Serves: 1-1 1/2 cups Ingredients 4 tbl unsalted butter 1 cup olive oil 6 cloves garlic, minced 6 anchovy fillets, minced 1 cup parmesan, grated 2 tsp black pepper Print Preparation Heat the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the minced garlic and anchovies. Cook until garlic becomes golden brown - garlic goes from perfectly golden to burned quite quickly so keep an eye on it. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in parmesan and pepper - It should not need salt because of the anchovies and parmesan so only add some if you have tasted it first. Serve warm drizzled over grilled vegetables or as a dip - which I like to serve over greek yogurt (like the picture) for better dip-ability. Notes If you are not into anchovies you can absolutely still make this - it might need a touch of sea salt added at the end to balance the flavors out. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Wedding Cake Workshop Deciding to make my own wedding cake was quite simple really. I had the necessary knowledge and skills to make a delicious cake and I knew that the week leading up to the wedding would be stress free with my Mom at the helm. As cheesy as it sounds, the kitchen is really my sanctuary and there was nothing I would rather do during that week than make cake. What I did not fully account for, however, was that I would be making cake for 200 people. By myself. Thankfully for me (and my wedding guests), my best friend from culinary school, Emma (who happens to be in med school) offered to come help while she had time off to study for the boards. What could have been a complete disaster turned into an incredibly fun and rewarding week in the kitchen. The week before starting, I made sure to have all the necessary tools, pans, and specialty ingredients. Monday: I made the lemon curd filling and the white chocolate for the decorative flowers. Once the chocolate set, I started on the roses - the cones are the base and each ball will be flattened into a petal. Tuesday & Wednesday: Emma and I spent two days just baking off the cakes - 17 10" cakes total. Thursday: We split the cakes, filled them with lemon curd and did a preliminary coat of frosting. The photo above is the rental fridge filled with cakes on the back porch - thanks to my cousin Lindsay for that suggestion!! Friday: Final coat of buttercream and decorating. The tiered cake was mostly for presentation but also provided a wonderful late-night snack. I have given the cake recipe below. I have never been a plain vanilla cake fan but this one might have converted me. It is perfectly moist and tender, especially fresh out of the oven, it really doesn't need anything else. But what makes it unique is that it holds up remarkably well, staying moist and fluffy, for several days. I used a simple decorator's buttercream for the frosting but this cake would pair nicely with anything. Wedding Cake Workshop Serves: 2 8in cakes Ingredients 8 oz unsalted butter, at room temp 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 1¼ cups buttermilk 2 tsp vanilla extract 2½ cups cake flour 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tbl baking powder DECORATOR’S BUTTERCREAM Yield: 2½ quarts 1 lb unsalted butter, at room temp 8oz vegetable shortening 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract 3 lb confectioners sugar 4½ fl oz whole milk 3 tbl meringue powder 2 tsp kosher salt Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 8in cake pans and line with parchment paper. Cream the butter with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, on medium speed for 3 minutes. In those 3 minutes, whisk together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder and mix the vanilla into the buttermilk. Set both of these aside. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and return speed to medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next (about 1 minute in between each egg). Scrape down the sides. With the mixer on low, alternate the flour and buttermilk in 3-4 additions and mixing until just incorporated in between each. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. To release air pockets, lift each cake a few inches off the counter then allow it to drop (making sure it hits evenly and with a loud bang), repeat 3-4 times. Bake for 45-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, the cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Make the Buttercream: Cream shortening and butter with the paddle of an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add the sugar. Add meringue powder (The mixture will appear dry). Add milk and beat until light and slightly shiny (approximately 5 to 8 minutes). Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 3-5 months. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Coffee cake is one of my favorite tasty treats…in theory – i am more often than not disappointed by the dry dense cake weighed down by a somewhat flavorless and stale crumb topping. This cake is so ridiculously moist and the crackly cinnamon-sugar top reminds me of the cinnamon toast my mom made growing up. yumm. Of course the apples are a delicious addition that also makes this toooootally healthy (its Christmas so I am going to stick with this theory). You can make it a day or two early so it is perfect for a Christmas morning post-present rampage breakfast! That’s my plan anyway!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Serves: 1 10" cake Ingredients 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup brown sugar 12 oz unsalted butter (3 sticks) 3 eggs 2½ cups all purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp kosher salt 1 cup sour cream fillings and toppings: 1 apple, cored and sliced (and each slice halved) ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup sugar 1 tbl cinnamon Print Preparation Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease a 10in cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream - about ⅓ of each at a time. Mix just until combined. Mix the 1 tablespoon of cinnamon into the ½ cup sugar. Spread half of the batter in your prepared cake pan, getting it all the way to the edges. Sprinkle about 2 table of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter then place a single layer of apples on top of this - pressing the gently into the batter. Spread the rest of the batter over top - if you are making this ahead of time, stop here and continue to the next step just before baking. Pour the ½ cup of heavy cream over the top of the cake then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar evenly over this. Bake at 350˚F for 45 minutes, until the center is set. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Salted Pumpkin Creme Brulee This recipe came from my favorite website Food52. It is incredibly delicious but does require some sort of torch or lighter - the original recipe says you can do it under the broiler but I did not have success trying that (in fact I almost burnt a hole in my oven mitt). But who wouldn't want a kitchen torch to make marshmallows with at a moments notice?! I think this would be even better if served with a spicy gingersnap type cookie to use almost like a spoon. Salted Pumpkin Creme Brulee Serves: 8-12 servings Ingredients 1 15oz can pumpkin puree 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 2 tsp vanilla extract ½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg ½ tsp ground ginger 6 large egg yolks Topping: 1 tsp coarse sea salt ¼ cup granulated sugar, for topping Print Preparation Heat oven to 325˚F and get ramekins ready – place 8 ramekins in large roasting pan (this recipe makes about 48 oz, so it’ll make 8 6-oz or 12 4-oz brûlées). Place pumpkin puree into saucepan over medium heat and cook for about ten minutes. While pumpkin is caramelizing, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar in large bowl. Once pumpkin has caramelized, add cream, whole milk, vanilla, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to the pumpkin. Whisk everything together until well integrated. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat and once you see those bubbles remove from heat. Temper eggs, slowly whisk about ¼ cup of the hot pumpkin/cream mixture into the eggs, then add the remaining pumpkin/cream mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking continuously (to make this easier, I poured the hot pumpkin mixture into a heatproof bowl with a handle and pouring lip). Divide mixture among ramekins or crème brûlée dishes. Cover the pan with foil, leaving one corner turned up and place in oven with rack pulled out. Pour enough hot water to pans to come halfway up sides of ramekins and close the corner of foil. Bake the custards about 30 minutes, then lift off a corner of the foil to allow the steam to escape. Re-cover the pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until custards are just set in center.* Chill custards until cold, about 4 to 6 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 to 3 days in advance. Cover and keep chilled. Remove custards from fridge an hour before serving to come to room temp. Right before serving, sprinkle a few grains of sea salt on top of each chilled custard then sprinkle 2 to 3 tsp of sugar in a thin, even layer. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar. * To test for doneness, gently tap one of the custards (with an oven mitt on!). You want the custard to giggle almost in one piece – like a wave rather than a ripple from outside in. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Fresh Corn & Green Chile Muffins It has been a while since i've had so much trouble getting a recipe right, but this one kicked my butt. The first attempt resulted in one solid muffin top and a whole lot of batter crusted on the bottom of my oven. Not pretty. I have definitely had my fair share of collapsed cakes (see cheesecake post ), blasphemous attempts at a great grandmother's recipe, and just downright inedible dishes, but I always learn more from the failures than the successes. It is hard to appreciate the lesson learned when you are serving 15 people a cake that looks like it went through the washing machine...yeah, that happened too. But when you are cooking for people you love, they are usually very forgiving and it helps to have a certain husband who likes to keep my chef ego in check by reminding me of these fiascos on a regular basis, particularly those instances when he was able to swoop in and save the day AND make me laugh about it. Ok, I am done with my spiel. Back to the muffins. Third time was the charm here and boy were they worth the effort (although my family and doormen might be a little corned out at the moment). It is pepper season! These are New Mexican hatch chiles but you can really use whatever you like - poblanos would be great, or go for jalapeños if you like things a little more picante. The roasting and skin-removing process is a bit of a pain but trust me, it makes such a difference in the flavor. If having to do this step might keep you from making these, you can buy canned green chiles - I would use 2 of the small 4oz cans. These are so good with some eggs and avocado for brunch or alongside a big bowl of tomato soup. Or with a generous smear of butter. Fresh Corn & Green Chile Muffins Serves: 12 muffins Ingredients 4oz unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temp 1 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs 2 tbl honey 1 cup sour cream 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup cornmeal (I like medium or coarse ground) 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp kosher salt 2 cups fresh raw corn (roughly 2 cobs) 2 green chiles (such as new mexican, poblano, or jalapeño) Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350˚F and line two 12-muffin pans with paper cups – alternating every other space (to allow muffin tops to grow freely). You can also grease the pans with melted butter using a pastry brush. Roast chiles over a burner, turning with tongs until the skin becomes completely blackened. Place in a bowl and cover for 5-10 minutes – this steams the pepper and makes the skin easier to remove. Scrape off charred skin, remove seeds, and chop into small pieces, set aside. Remove corn from cobs and set aside with chiles. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl before mixing in the honey and sour cream. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in fresh corn and chiles by hand – use a big spatula here and make sure to get all the way to the bottom as you fold. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans.* Bake for 30-40 minutes, rotating the pans after 15 minutes. *If you want them hot out of the oven in the morning, put them in the fridge at this point - leave uncovered as plastic wrap will take precious batter with it when removed. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Funfetti Cake Remember that thing I said about trying to embrace imperfections in the kitchen? Yeah. That did not happen here. But my sprinkle-obsessive behavior paid off big time. Third time's a charm!! What I learned: artificial sprinkles are best, the more natural kind bleed into the batter (hence the weird color of the first two tries). A crumb coat is key to keeping the crumbs contained. God forbid we have rogue crumbs that end up on the outside of the cake, marring your beautiful fluffy white frosting. I decorated with nonpareils (round sprinkles) on the first cake and then these cute fondant cutouts on the second - which were quite a bit of work to color separately, roll and cut, and then dry on a curved surface so they fit the curve of the cake. Whew! I am tired just explaining all of that. I would recommend sticking with sprinkles as it gives you an idea of what is inside. Funfetti Cake Serves: 1 multi-tier 8" cake Ingredients Cake Ingredients 8 oz unsalted butter, at room temp 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 1¼ cups buttermilk 2 tsp vanilla extract 2½ cups cake flour 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tbl baking powder ⅔ cup sprinkles Icing ingredients 1 lb unsalted butter, room temperature 2 lb confectioner’s sugar pinch of salt 2 tsp vanilla extract Print Preparation Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease pans and line with parchment paper. Cream the butter with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, on medium speed for 3 minutes. In those 3 minutes, whisk* together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder and mix the vanilla into the buttermilk. Set both of these aside. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and return speed to medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next (about 1 minute in between each egg). Scrape down the sides. With the mixer on low, alternate the flour and buttermilk in 3-4 additions and mixing until just incorporated. Mix in sprinkles. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. To release air pockets, lift each cake a few inches off the counter then allow it to drop (making sure it hits evenly and with a loud bang), repeat 3-4 times. Bake for 45-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Make Icing: beat butter about 2 minutes (until it coats the sides of the bowl). With mixer on lowest speed, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar, pinch of salt, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed for 6-8 minutes until super fluffy. Keep covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use. Crumb coat: ice cake layers with a very thin coating of icing then refrigerate the cakes for 15 minutes to let icing harden slightly. Ice cakes and decorate! Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Buns A few months ago I had one of the best pastries of my life. It was a cinnamon sugar breakfast bun kind of thing but one unlike any I had ever had before. While those with goopy filling and confectioners sugar glazes are quite tasty, this one was so much more refined while also having more of a real cinnamon-sugar flavor. What I discovered was that this life-changing pastry is technically called a morning bun and is simply croissant dough rolled up with cinnamon and sugar. Sounds easy enough right? Unless you are a master of making croissant dough at home, the answer is no. It is nearly impossible to find croissant dough at the grocery store or even online except in wholesale quantities. So instead of ordering 20 pounds of dough (which seemed slightly excessive even for me), I decided to do a test with what I could find at the store. The first method would be with puff pastry, the second with pre-made croissants which in my case meant Pillsbury crescent rolls (that i unrolled into flat pieces). Puff pastry and croissant dough are both are laminated doughs, meaning they are made up of layers upon layers of butter and dough, but croissant dough has yeast which allows it to rise more and adds that chewiness we love in a great croissant. Because the Pillsbury dough contained neither butter nor yeast, it is not really croissant dough (what kind of dough it actually is, I have no idea). This may have influenced my preference for the puff pastry version but I think it made a lighter and flakier bun that was still slightly gooey at the center. I used Pepperidge Farm puff pastry but any brand will give you the same results. These will definitely be on my table Christmas morning - prepped the day before and ready to pop in the oven in the morning. Feel free to do your own test, especially if you can find real croissant dough (the ingredients should include: flour, butter, yeast, water/milk, salt). Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Buns Serves: 8 buns Ingredients 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator (about 1 hour) 4 tbl butter, melted 1 cup sugar 1 tbl cinnamon flour for rolling Print Preparation Preheat oven to 400˚F. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Prepare muffin pan by brushing with melted butter and sprinkling with cinnamon-sugar. Set aside. On a clean countertop sprinkle some flour and an even coating of the cinnamon sugar mixture, place puff pastry in the center, and sprinkle with a little more flour. Roll puff pastry out, extending each edge about 1 inch. Brush pastry with melted butter and coat evenly with cinnamon sugar. Use the rolling pin to roll the cinnamon-sugar into the dough. Roll the pastry up – if the seam does not close, brush with melted butter and press gently to close. Cut the log into 8 pieces (I usually start by cutting in half, then each half in half, etc). Place each roll on its side into the prepared muffin pan.* Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden and the center is firm to the touch. *if baking later, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge at this point. when ready to bake, remove plastic and proceed to next step. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Oatmeal Raisin Scones My Dad is a scone man. It is his breakfast of choice, paired perfectly with butter, jam, and of course a large cup of hot coffee. For years I have been tirelessly experimenting on him in search of the best scone recipe. I believe I have found it, at least my Dad says it is the best he has ever had…perhaps there is a slight bias there but I am willing to overlook it. I like to use rolled oats because they add nice texture and body. As for the raisins, I have found that golden are best because they do not burn (the dark raisins get a bit of a charred flavor). Above is what the combined dry ingredients look like still dry. Below is the damp sand texture you are looking for when mixing in the butter - with a few chunks of butter left whole. Oatmeal Raisin Scones Serves: 12-16 Scones Ingredients 2 cups flour ½ whole wheat flour 2 cups oats 1/3 cup sugar 1 tbl baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 cup golden raisins 8oz butter, cubed and cold 1 ¼ cup heavy cream, plus ¼ cup to brush tops of the scones ¼ cup sugar in the raw (demerara sugar is the “fancy” name – aka the more expensive name) Print Preparation Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine the dry ingredients (everything up to the raisins) in bowl of an electric mixer. Add in cold, cubed butter and mix on low until it looks like damp sand in texture. With mixer on low, pour in the cream and mix just until combined. Fill a small bowl with flour so when your hands get dirty you are not reaching back into your big flour container. This will also be used to flour your cookie cutter as you go (this might seem excessive but trust me the dough is sticky). Generously flour your (clean!) counter, place the dough in the middle of flour and press it into about a ¾ - 1” thick disc – uniform thickness is the key here. Flour the top of the dough and start cutting, reshaping the scraps into a disc. Place scones onto a baking sheet, parchment is optional. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. If you are not sure they are done, check the bottom of one and it should be a dark golden brown. *Note: you can do all of this by hand, working the butter into the flour using your fingertips so as not to warm up the butter. And then using a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to mix in the cream. **Note: if you do not have a cookie cutter, press the dough into a rectangle and cut small squares or triangles with a knife. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Dark Chocolate Walnut Biscotti The first time I made these it was in a batch about 10 times as big (I could literally sit inside the bowl i was mixing in). It was my first solo task at my first restaurant job. I think I held my breath the entire time...which is a long time when you are cracking 60 eggs! The dough came out perfectly and I was finally taking deep breaths again as i rolled the mixing bowl back over to my work station. What the other pastry girls had forgotten to tell me (intentionally or not is still unclear) was that one of the wheels did not work and there was a drain directly in my path...a deadly combo. The wheel caught, the giant bowl keeled over, I slipped trying to stop the inevitable and biscotti dough went flying. Not one of my finer moments. I am not usually a biscotti lover but these defy the rules of crack-your-teeth, soak-in-your-coffee, ambiguously-kinda-almondy-flavored cookie. But if biscotti made sugary sweet love to a fudgy brownie...this would be the glorious bastard child. Dark Chocolate Walnut Biscotti Serves: about 40 biscotti Ingredients 3½ cups / 360g walnuts, roughly chopped 3½ cups / 420g all-purpose flour 1½ cups / 120g unsweetened coco powder 2 cups / 425g dark brown sugar (firmly packed) ¾ cup / 150g granulated sugar 8oz / 257g unsalted butter, cold and cubef 1 tsp / 4g baking soda 1 tsp kosher salt 6 eggs 1 ½ tbl coffee extract (coffee or espresso work great also) 2 tsp vanilla extract 8oz super dark chocolate, chopped into chip-sized pieces (you can use chips here but I often find the flavor of dark chocolate to be better in bars). Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast the walnuts and let cool completely. Combine the flour, coco powder, both sugars, baking soda and salt the the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cut butter into cubes, add to the dry ingredients and mix on low until butter is roughly the size of peas (about 5 minutes). Add coffee and vanilla to eggs, whisk just to break up yolks. Pour slowly into rest of the ingredients with mixer on low. Add walnuts and chocolate and mix just until combined. Flour counter generously and divide dough in two, dusting top with more flour – the dough is going to be very sticky! Roll into logs and place onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 30-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, let cool completely. Preheat oven to 250˚F. Slice biscotti as thinly as possible and place back on baking sheet (you will probably need two sheets lined with parchment). Bake for 30 minutes, turn oven off and let biscotti dry out over night. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Tequila Lime Chicken Tacos For the past few weeks I have been a part time nurse for my mom who had knee replacement surgery. My very taxing nurse duties have included such things as binging on the Netflix Chefs Table series (which I highly recommend), playing a lot of backgammon, basically being a couch potato you know for moral support. Pretty tough work. One of our favorite guilty pleasures has been tuning into watch Ina every afternoon and discussing what I should make for my next post. This past Wednesday Ina was making a really tasty looking tequila lime chicken recipe for Jeffrey (yes, I feel that i am on a first name basis at this point in my relationship with the Gartens). Also on Wednesday was my Moms first outing into the real world. Where to? you might ask…a tequila tasting! (I hope her doctor isn’t reading this right now or I might lose my nursing license as I have already broken his rule of not letting her take the subway to physical therapy). The tasting was at my alma mater, the Institute of Culinary Education , which has new digs downtown and they are friggin sweet. We were going to this tasting because my Mom gave it as a birthday present to the hubs Chris – but lucky for the rest of us we got to join in the fun. I was a little wary when I saw that the class was 6:30-9:30, I mean 3 hours of tequila seems a bit excessive especially since I don’t really drink the stuff – I was practically drunk as soon as I walked in just from the smell. And then I saw the line up of 15 bottles that we were to try and accepted the fact that I would be on the floor by the end of it. Buuuuuut, it was fantastic. The instructor was a wealth of knowledge and fun facts about pretty much everything alcohol related. And while I may not be sipping tequila on the rocks any time soon, I loved learning the history, science, and process of making tequila. So. Back to the recipe. My Mom suggested we try Ina’s recipe and I thought of the taco part because tacos make everything more fun. And just now looking at the marinade ingredients below I am realizing that I am basically telling you to dunk your chicken in your margarita. Ha that sounds kind of gross but trust me it is deeeeelish. Tequila Lime Chicken Tacos Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts for the marinade: 2 cups lime juice 1 cup tequila 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2-3 jalapeños, seeds removed 1 tbl kosher salt 2 tsp chili powder 2 tsp black pepper for the tacos: 8-10 small tortillas avocado pickled onion tomatillo salsa Print Preparation Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziploc bag, add the chicken and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat and lightly oil your grill or a large sauté pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade, making sure no garlic or jalapeños are stuck to it. Grill or sauté over med-high heat until nicely charred and cooked through. Let the chicken cool slightly while you assemble your taco toppings then slice the chicken into thin strips. Assemble tacos or let others make their own. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Tomato Goat Cheese Tart w/ a Cornmeal Crust Oh hi there! Its been a while. I have been totally checked out recently. The whole summer really (yikes its august!!). My excuse is that as of last Wednesday, Chris and I are home owners AAAAND Brooklyn residents!! How wild is that! Brooklyn! I am pretty excited about it all, especially now that the process is over and we are moved in…kinda. It still looks like a jumble of mismatched furniture and there was only a minor blip involving our dining table (and most favoritest possession ever) not fitting up the elevator or stairs. But we will get there eventually, slowly but surely. The kitchen has brand new appliances which is fantastic and a giant window with a view all the way to the verrazano bridge. Of course I can’t help but want to make minor changes like knocking out the wall and refinishing every surface and thinking that I could do it all myself. I mean i’ve never DIYed anything in my life but wall demolition seems like a good place to start. I’ll be at home depot if you need me. But I’ll save those projects for the winter when there aren’t delicious tomatoes calling to me from the garden. This tart is nothing fancy but its darn tasty. The cornmeal dough is so good but if you really aren’t up for making it you could use puff pastry instead. And if goat cheese ain’t your thang, use whatever you like – I would only caution against mozzarella because it has so much water that when combined with the tomatoes will make for a very soggy bottom (and we don’t want that!). Tomato Goat Cheese Tart w/ a Cornmeal Crust Serves: 1 9" tart Ingredients 2-3 large juicy tomatoes 4oz chevre salt and pepper fresh herbs of choice (optional) cornmeal tart dough: 1¾ cup flour ½ cup cornmeal (i like a medium to coarse ground) 1½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp black pepper 8oz unsalted butter, cubed and cold ¼ - ⅓ cup buttermilk, cold Print Preparation Make the tart dough: Combine the dry ingredients in a food processor with the blade attachment and pulse once or twice to mix. Add the cold butter and pulse again until it looks uniformly like wet sand (about 10 pulses if you are a numbers person). I like to stick my hand in there and just make sure there isnt some rogue lump of butter. With the processor on, slowly pour in the buttermilk (remember you might not need all of it!). As soon as the dough catches and becomes a kind of ball/clump, stop mixing and stop pouring. The dough should be very moist but not wet (see pic #2 ). Press the dough into your tart pan - I use my hands at first and then a large, flat bottomed cup measure to get the dough into the corners and up the sides. I like to put the tart onto a sheet pan before going any further so I don't ruin it by putting my hand up through the removable bottom. Let the dough chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes or up to a few days. Assemble and Bake: Preheat the oven to 400˚F and slice the tomatoes - I like thick slabs so they don't become complete mush in the oven (about ¼ inch I suppose). Crumble the chevre into the tart and if using any fresh herbs add them now, under the tomatoes so they do not burn in the oven. Arrange the tomato slices in one layer (they can be slightly overlapping) and season generously with salt and black pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, until the edges of the tart are golden brown. Serve warm or at room temp - I also like to add a flourish of coarse sea salt for look and taste. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Honeynut Squash Soup w/ Za'atar and Tahini Yogurt I bought the Honeynut squash trio pictured above at the Union Square Greenmarket last week mostly because they are adorable baby squash nuggets and they were calling to me from behind all those other nubbly, barnacled behemoths that are so big and heavy you need power tools to crack em…not to mention needing a chiropractor after schlepping them home on the subway. Anyway, later that day my Mom and I were watching the third episode of Chef’s Table about Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns and he started talking about Honeynut squash!! Freakaaay. What I learned is that the honeynut comes from years of collaboration between a Cornell scientist (a plant breeding geneticist to be exact), Hudson Valley farmers and Chef Barber. Not only is it much smaller than its fellow squashes, it is sweeter, has more nutritional value (particularly beta carotene), and it is more disease resistant. Oh and it was made the old fashioned way, no frankensquashes here. I think that’s pretty neat. The recipe began based on one from Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook Jerusalem. It was meant to be roasted butternut squash but because the honeynut is slightly starchier it needs a higher cooking temp to get some char (probably should have looked that up before they went in the oven). So, when mine came out looking rather sad and pale, I destroyed the evidence in the blender. Voilà! A tasty soup was born. It’s always good to remember that, in the kitchen, nothing is a mistake unless you label it as such – after all Julia Child always said that if you are alone in the kitchen who will know!? Honeynut Squash Soup w/ Za'atar and Tahini Yogurt Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients 2 tbl olive oil 4 shallots, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbl tomato paste ½ cup white wine 3-4 lbs honeynut or butternut squash, peeled and cubed* 1 tbl za'atar (plus more for dusting) ½ tsp cayenne (optional) 3-4 cups stock or water lots of salt and pepper Tahini Yogurt 1 cup plain greek yogurt 2 tbl tahini paste juice of 1 lemon 2-4 tbl water salt and pepper flat leaf parsley, finely chopped for garnish (optional) Print Preparation In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the shallots, stirring occasionally until they start to release their liquid and become translucent. Stir in the garlic, za'atar, and cayene (if using) and let cook about 1 minute while you stand guard making sure the garlic does not burn. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste and again let this go about 1 minute, allowing the sugars to caramelize slightly. Pour the white wine in a steady stream around the pan, scraping up any bits on the bottom as you go. Add the squash to the pot and give it all a toss before adding 1-2 cups of your liquid. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the squash is cooked through. Puree the soup in a food processor or with an immersion blender, adding the remaining liquid slowly, just until you reach your preferred thickness (my measurement here was an approximation as everyone has different tastes so use as little or as much as you would like!). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, refrigerate up to 5-6 days or freeze up to 6 months (i have eaten soup far older but this is technically frowned upon...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger). Tahini Yogurt Whisk all of the ingredients together, adding more liquid if needed to get something the consistency of honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup with a generous drizzle of tahini yogurt, a sprinkling or za'atar and a touch of parsley. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast